A ski slope snow tiller normally comprises a frame connected to a tractor movable in a travelling direction; a shaft fitted with snow-working tools; a casing surrounding the shaft; and a mat towed over the snow surface, behind the casing.
Though highly effective in tilling snow on ski slopes, tillers of this sort have a tendency to accumulate, or at least fail to prevent accumulating, snow, which, be it produced by snowfall or thrown up by the tiller or the tractor to which the tiller is connected, deposits in particular on the part of the tiller between the casing the mat.
The amount of snow accumulated on the tiller depends on the width of the tiller, and, according to the Applicant's findings, may be as much as 600 kg. This added weight on the tiller has numerous drawbacks increased power consumption of the tractor; impaired maneuverability of the tractor and tiller as a whole; potential damage to the component parts of the tiller; increased wear of the tiller; and the necessity to clean the snow off the tiller before garaging the tractor and tiller, to prevent flooding the garage when the snow melts.